Matthew Poole and continuators on Exodus 27

1 AND thou shalt make an altar of shittim-wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad: the altar shall be four-square: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.

a Not that for Incense, but another for sacrifices.

Marginal references: chap. 38. 1.

2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same : and thou shalt overlay it with brass .

Which were elevated above the body of the Altar, in form either of pyramids or spires, or rather of horns, as the word signifies: nor is there any necessity of departing from the proper signification. These were not onely for ornament, but for use also, either to keep things put upon it from falling, or that beasts to be offered might be bound to them. See Psal. 118. 27.

Of the same piece with the altar, for its use required strength.

With plates of brass of competent thickness, both above the wood and under it, that the fire might not take hold of the wood.

Marginal references: See Num. 16. 38.

3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basins , and his flesh-hooks , and his fire-pans : all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

To receive the blood of the sacrifices, which they were to sprinkle.

Wherewith they took flesh out of the pot in which it was seethed, as 1 Sam. 2. 14. But this seems not proper here, because the flesh was never boiled upon the Altar, but in other places appointed for that use. And the Hebrew word is general and may signify either tongs, or fire-forks.

In which they carried li[illegible: 1+ letters]e coals from this Altar to that of Incense, as occasion required.

Marginal references: Or, bowls. Gr. Vials. [illegible: 1+ letters] Chron. 4. 8.

4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass, and upon the net shalt thou make four brazen rings in the four corners thereof.

Which was competently strong and thick, this being as it were the hearth of the Altar upon which they laid both the wood and the sacrifices, and it was full of holes, through which the blood and ashes might fall down into the place appointed for them.

Or rather at or beside, or under, the net, for so the rings were placed, as their use shews, and the Hebrew preposition, al, is oft so used.

Which were either 1. peculiar to the grate, which by these was carried apart from the Altar, having the perpetual fire kept in it: for had it been carried with the Altar, the cloth wherewith the Altar was covered Numb. 4. 13. would have been endangered by the fire. Or 2. common to the Altar, to which these were fixed on the outside, as on the inside to the grate, that by them the grate might be both kept even and upright, and also carried together with the Altar, and that with such caution that the fire included might not hurt the covering-cloth, which was not difficult to do.

5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the Altar .

(i. e.) Within the square and hollow space of the Altar.

Or, and the net shall be at (the Hebrew, ad, being here used for il, as Hos. 14. 2, Ioel 2. 12. Amos 4. 6, 8.) the midst of the altar. And these words seem added to explain the word, beneath, to shew that as it was not to be at the top, so neither at the bottom of the Altar, but in the midst of it.

7 And the staves shall be put into the rings , and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar to bear it.

Which seem to be the s[illegible: 1+ letters]me both to the Altar and the grate, though some alledge that place for the contrary.

8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.

(i. e.) Not one entire piece of wood, but consisting of four several sides, hollow within, for easiness and conveniency of carriage in their wildernes; state.

Marginal references: chap. 25. 40. and 26. 30.; Heb. he h[illegible: 1+ letters]red.

9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle for the south-side southward there shall be hangings for the court , of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long, for one side.

A court encompassing the tabernacle, Exod. 40. 33. in the midst whereof the Altar of Sacrifices was placed, upon which the offerings were burnt in the open air, which was most convenient.

Whereby the court was distinguished and enclosed.

10 And the twenty pillars thereof, and their twenty sockets shall be of brass: the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets shall be of silver.

On which the hangings were fastened, by the hooks here mentioned.

Or, bases, upon which the pillars stood.

Or hoops, which encompassed the pillars at the top, being placed there, as it seems, for ornament onely.

14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits : their pillars three, and their sockets three.

Which with the 15 cubits ver. 15. and the 20 cubits ver. 16. make up the 50 cubits mentioned ver. 13.

17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver: their hooks shall be of silver , and their sockets of brass.

All silver, not onely covered with silver, as some unduly infer from Exod. 38. 17.

19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court shall be of brass.

Wherewith the Tabernacle and curtains thereof were fastened to the ground, as tents usually are with wooden pins.

20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil-olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn alway .

(i. e.) At all the times appointed, daily, though not continually, as the lamb offered onely every morning and every evening is called a continual burnt-offering, Exod. 29. 42. For that these were lighted onely at the evening may seem probable from the next verse, and from Exod. 27. 21. and 30. 8. Lev. 24. 3. 1 Sam. 3. 3. 2 Chron. 13. 11. But because Iosephus and Philo, who were eye-witnesses of the Temple-service, and had no temptation to ly in this matter, expresly affirm, that some lights did burn in the day-time, and it may seem indecent and improbable, that God should dwell and the Priests minister in darkness, and there were no windows to give light to the Tabernacle by day, it may be granted, that some few burnt in the day, and all in the night, and that the latter is onely mentioned in the places alledged, as being the more solemn time when all are lighted.

z Beaten out of the olives with a pestel, which is freer from dregs than that which is squeezed out with a press.

Marginal references: Heb. to ascend up.

21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail , which is before the testimony , Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations, on the behalf of the children of Israel.

So called because there the people used to meet not onely one with another, but with God also. See Exod. 25. 22. Numb. 17. 4. Others render it, in the tabernacle of witness, because there God declared his mind and will and mans duty.

To wit, the second vail, in the holy place.

A short speech for, before the Ark of the Testimony, as it is elsewhere more largely called, compare Exod. 25. 16.

To wit, the lamp, or the lights, taking care that there be a constant supply of them, and that they burn well.

Marginal references: Heb. of meeting. See chap. 25. 22. and 29. 42.; chap. 26. 31, 33.